Metallic curtain.



No= 880,456. PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

M. SGHULTES. METALLIC GURTAN.

APPLIGATON FILED JAN. 19, i908.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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N0. 836.456. PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

M. SGHULTES. METALLG UURTAIN.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.19,1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JZ J0 16 HIJ y f Ty@ e f a 11 11% u 12 W/ /VESSL'S.- AAfl/.15N Tore..

MCHEL SUHULTES, OF YOUNGSTOl/VN, OHIO, ASSltiNOR OF OFNEFHIRD TO JAMES H. LARKLN, l" YUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

ine-mman cum-ane.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenteaspt. 4, 190e.

Application tiled January 19,1906. Serial lio. 296,911.

Be it known that I, MICHAEL SeHULTEs, a citinen of 'the United States, residing :it Ytuingstown, in the county of Mahoning and '5 State of hio, have iiivented n' new end useful Metallic Curtain, el which the folli'iwing is a'specitication.

This invention relates to flexible curtains 'for desks, cabinets, tire/prooi. blinds, stagero curtains, ceses, and like structures, and has 'for its principal object to provide a {lexiblo metallic curtain in which the joints will be water, tire, and dust proof to the extent of reventing the accumulation ot dust end dirt x )etween the members ot the curtain, as well es preventing the passage of water, tire, or

dustto the interior. of the desk or other structure to which the curtain is applied. A further object ol" the invent-ion to prozo vide e device ot this character in which the joint members nre olv such construction :is to form rigid braces or Supports for strengthen-- ing the several sections or braces ofthe curtain and in which the area of the section-s in z5 frictional Contact is reduced to a. minimum in order to prev-ent the 'free flexing of the curtain :is it is moved to open and closed posi' tions. Y

A still further object ci the invention isA to 3o provide a iiietallic curtain in which the outer or exposed surface will be smooth find continuons whether the curtain is arranged on a straight or curved line. l

A still further'object of the invention is to provide e curtain et' this class with means 'for protecting it from wear and injury, more especially atelthe end portions of the metallic strips of which the curtain is composed.' l

A further object of the invention is to pro- 4o vide end protective members which shell take up all ot' the weer incident to the sliding of the curtain in the guiding-grooves of the desk, case, or other structure.

A still further obiect of the invention is to provide e metallic curtain in which the ends of the strips are reinforced by links so connected asV to permit free flexing ofthe curtain to follow the curva-tures of' the grooves.

With these and other objects in view, as 5o will more t'ullv hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of con struction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being' 55 understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of theL structure ma)v be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages oi" the inventiim.

'In the accompanyimg drawings, Figure 1 is e perspective view oi a. portion oi a flexible curtain constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is ,a plan view ofthc metallic links which are attached to the ends of the curtain-strips, a number oi links being shown connected together. Fig. 3 is a de,- tail perspective view of one. of the links de tnched. Fig. 4. a vie-w similar to Fig. 3,

illustrating a link stainpeiil of sheet metal.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a curtain, sliowingthe salue as applied to a desk of 0r.v

dinary construction. Fig. 6 is a` sectional view ol a numberot the members of the curtain drawn to un enlarged scale. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one ot the meinbers or sections detached, Fig. S is a similar -view showing a curtain formed of sheet metal on which a suitable design has been stamped. Fig. 9 illustrates a slightly-modilied construction of the curtain. Fig. 10 illustrates a `further modification of the curtain.

Similar numerals ot reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures'of the drawings. p lila-ch of the. members or sections 10 is formed. of a strip of sheet metal of any clesired gage, nud one edge of the strip is provided with a [lange l1 and the other with e 9C rolled bead 12, the flange of one section ittino i within the beadof an adjacent section and permitting free Vflexing ot' thecurtain as a Whole.

The rib l1 is approximatelysigmoidal in cross-section, and at its juncture with the fllat out-er luce 13 of the strip there is formed a small depression or recess 14, which receives e shorply-de'iincd rib 15, formed at the. beaded edge of the next section.

',lhebead 12 is approximately circular in cross-section, its outer edge being continued up and turned to form a v(lange 16, that is slightlT spaced from a curved or recessed por-v tion 17, that connects the rib 1 5 to the main :o5 portion of the bead 12, the curvature of the portion 17 being approximately on n. line concentric to he curvature of the flanged edge I -116 'Mld :therspacefhetyveen'the two serving for the entrance oi the npperpo'rti'on of the rib 11 of an adjacent section.

The various sections can he assembled only y,hy sliding endvvise one nponthe other, and- When sorassenib'led. a hinge is formed between each tvro sections, hut the frictional surface ofisaid hinge is very limited, comprising only a' ortion of the flanged edge i6 and a portion io o the ril) 1l, so that the seiferalsectionsniay 'swing freely one on the other to permit the curtain' to follow a guide of any contour.

- When the sections are assernhled,'the outer surfaces 13 present a smooth continuous face,

115. the ribs l5 being seated in the recesses 14 and dust and dirt will be excluded and there will A Vhe, nodanger of accumulations Within the 25 heads 12,--nor is itp'ossible ier any dust or dirt pass lcetvveen the sections .into the desk q-propf-l"I `l y I i l lt 1s obvious that hy limiting the area of l sin-faces inrictional Contact and forming the 3"@ hingeqolnt proper adjacent to the outer surface of the curtain free ieXi-ng will he permitted andthe cnrtainniay he readily adjusted to open 'or'fclosie'd positions. v

" In Fig.' 9 is' illustrated a slightly-modiied 35 construction, thejparts remaining the saine as.previonslyfdescribed with 'the exceptionA that the recess i4 is omitted.

:In the 'construction sno'wnvinliig. 10 one edgeof eachstrip v is 'bent inwardly at an .4e acute angle'to theplane of the strip, indt i' cated at il', and '1s thence bentV on areverse .curve forming a tongue i2'. The opposite edgeol' the 'strip is bent inwardly atan ohtnse angle t'o the plane of the strip,'as'indie cated at i3', fin order that it inay ce parallel 'with 'and nia-ke close contact with 'the in-y Wardly-hent'portion 1l of an adjacent'strip, A From thence the inet-al is arranged on: a curved line following the upper portion oie the carved 5e tongue 12' and thence is lient to lorni a prac- --tically completeloop i4', theupper edge of? which is turned to forni a head l5', that rests Within the concaved portion of thetongue l12'. i It Willhe seen that that portion of the 515 tonguel' adjacent to the body of the strip "is arranged to playhetwecn two curved portions of an adjacent strip, and While a joint is so rnade the curtain may be readilyiiexed to follow the dil'l'erent curvatiires of the guiding- 6o grooves in which the edges of the curtain are received. The j oint formed will he sufficiently vtight,,especially when the cater faces of the stri s are all in the saine plane to positively exc nde moisture, snow, or dust.

aaneen ln many vcurtains-oi this general type it 'Within guiding-grooves Without anyv'addi friction, especially onheavy curtains, Will in tiine Wearthrough the lnetal oi thestrlps and the ends of the curtain are exposed to con- 'pecialiy where a'portion of the end ot the curtain may slip out oli-or hearranged to extendv below the groove.' objection, the erids oi, the strips are provided .with links .of the character best shown in Fis.

Each 20 is provided viiith a laterally- The link proper is in the forni Oia bar having one end 22 in a plane somewhat beyond but parallel with the plane of the opposite end 23, so that the ends "of adjacent links may interfit 'the curtain. rEhe ends of the linksl are united hy studs openings 25 at the ends-23' of the links, hutv are iree to play .in arcuate grooves '26 at the ends 22 of said links,4 l This permits free eX- ing/of the curtain, softliat it niayfollow a .guiding-groove having any curvature.

l Each link is provided with an outwardlyextending curvedv rib 27, that is arranged to engage against the hott-oni wall of the guidlinggroove and presents but a comparatively small lrictional surface, so that therewill be little, ii any, wear on the links, and there Will be no strain Whatever on the strips i0. These ribs 27 may 1ove-made oi such Width as to permit the use of the curtain for apractically indefinite period, and When Worn out the links may he replaced at comparatively sinall cost.. This may also be accomplished by the employment of a dctachablerib 27', as shown in Fig. 4. i

in. the construction shown in' Fig, 4 the link is made of two'pieces of stamped sheet instal,

the securing-tongue, While the second memher forms the rib. The hody oi the link is provided with openings 30 for the passage oi small ings formed at the inner face er edge of in order to firmly hold the rib in place. When 'formed ci sheet metal, one endy of the link may he struck up to 'forni a headed pin 24',

may he passed through the elongated opening of an adjacent link.

with this'invention the life of theciirtain is materially increased, and the curtain may he more readily operated, owingl to the reduced area el the surfaces in frictional contact has been usual to place the ends ci the-striptional protection against Wear, vand a sliding render the curtain useless. At the sa'rne time In order to overcome this' and their inner facesgall he' in contact with. the ends of. the metallic strips which make up 24, nf'hicl-i may 'herigidlyvseoured inV one ci which iornis the body of the link and' that is integral' with the body ofthe link' and' With a device constructed in accordanceV etant danger of injury and displacement, es

IOC

the rib, and these lugs i iay afterward be upset 8o projecting belt 2i, that is riyetedf'or other- Wise secured to the inner face of the strip 10.' A

' raam- 1. Acurtain of the class described having wear-links at its opposite ends.

cured to the'ends of the strips. l

3. In a ilexible metallic curtain` a series of connected links arranged at the edge of the 2 In a -ilexible metallic curtain, links securtain, and means for securing the links to the curtain-strips.

4. In a flexible metallic curtain, links secured to the en s of the curtain-strips and provided with ri rs formin -reduced friction- 4o brought into parallel relation clse to the surfaces for engagement W1th curtain-guiding grooves.

15;' In a metallic curtain, wear-links connected to the endsof the curtain-strips land j.

each.,

having pin-and-slot connections Wit other. s

6. In a metallic curtain., alink secured to the end of each strip, one end of each link b'eing bent outward topermit'overlapping of the several links.

7. In a metallic curtain, a link arranged at the end of each curtain-stri and provided with an inwardly-extended ange secured to the strip, and an outwardly-extended rib for contact with the bottom wall of the curtainguiding groove.

8. In a metallic curtain, a plurality of stripsv each bentat one edge at an acute angle and at the opposite edge at an obtuse angle to form moisture-excluding joints, the edges being 'further bent to forni a hinge.

9. :A metallic curtain formed of aiplurality of sections, each section having at one edge a rib, and at the opposite edge a bead, the inner portion of the bead being of sufficient diameter to permit free play of the inner portion of the rib, the edges of the bead being the Wallsl of the outer faceof the curtain, and forming fr ic'- tion-surfaces of reduced area for contact with la portion of the rib.

10. A metallic curtain having a Hai outer face,- and'comprising aplurality of parallel sections having interengagin edge ortions, one provided with a rib, an the ot er with a bead, theedges ofthe latter being brought into parallel relation and being disposed on.- C

curved lines, that portion of the rib which ts between such faces being also curved, the

ribbed edgebeing recessed, and the beaded edge having a Well-defined shoulder itt'ingvin said recess to limit iiexing movement of the curtain in onedirection.

11. A metallic curtain formed of a plurality of parallel sections, each provided at one edge'with a rib of approximately sigmoidal form 'in cross-section and at the opposite edge with a bead, the edge portion of the bead being flanged, and seated Within one of the curved portions of the rib 'of the adjacent section. i

12. A metallic'curtain formed of a' plurality of interengaging sections each having at one edge a rib of approximately sigmoidal form in cross-section, and at the opposite edge abead of apprgsimately circular for1n in cross-section and adapted for the reception 

